Yellowstone: Starting Careers
by Nell McKeon
Summary: Post Amnesty. Follows my story "A Fragile Beginning". Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry are starting new careers at Yellowstone National Park. Challenges of acceptance await the new Director of Planning and Community Relations and the new Ranger Chief.
1. Chapter 1

**Yellowstone: Starting Careers**

 **Chapter One**

 **Late May 1885**

Philetus Norris, Yellowstone Park Superintendent, and Harry Yount, Yellowstone's Chief Gamekeeper, tired but satisfied men, paused at the top of the yellow sandstone stairs leading to the Yellowstone National Park Headquarters and watched Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah "Kid" Curry lead four horses and two laden pack mules down the road towards the stables. Norris, turned towards his friend and soon to be ex-colleague with a self-satisfied grin tinged with the regret of seeing the nation's first gamekeeper retire.

"Harry, you feel like a last glass of whiskey with me before you finish packing up for tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Phil, I think for my last night in Yellowstone you can break out the good stuff."

"Come into my office. It'll take those two some time to unload and store the gear. They'll have to take care of the animals too, since it looks as if Sam is still away purchasing horses for the new rangers."

The two men took one last look at the retreating backs of the new Ranger Chief and his partner, the Director of Planning and Community Relations, before crossing the porch to enter the park's headquarters. Harry remarked, "Maybe we should have waited and sent either Heyes or Curry with Sam. Judging by the horses they chose for themselves from that herd in Gardiner, they're damn fine judges of horseflesh."

Norris entered his office, crossed over to the office credenza and pulled out the good stuff. He poured two generous glasses and handed one to Harry. "Your family has been wanting you to retire for a while now. I bet your daughter and her family are happy to finally have you move to Saint Louis to be with them."

Harry accepted the glass and agreed, "Yep, they are, my son, also, since he's not too far away from them. It'll be good to spend time seeing my grandchildren growing up. I missed much of my own children's youth when I was away as a guide. It's a good thing my dear departed wife was a strong woman." He took a long look out the office window before sitting down and sighed, "Still, I'm gonna miss the wildness of Yellowstone and the unpredictability of the job."

Norris nodded in understanding and let a chuckle escape, "I know what you mean. Who knew what to expect? Harry, you were the first person in the country, maybe the world, to have the chief gamekeeper job of a national park. I've enjoyed working with you to lay a good foundation for those who come after us."

Harry sipped at the smooth whiskey, memorizing the details of an office he's spent countless hours in, working with the superintendent. "It's been a challenge but overall a good place and time to end my career. The job's grown, beyond me now, heck, you've even changed to title to Ranger Chief because of all the new responsibilities."

The two longtime Yellowstone leaders and caretakers reminisced for a time reliving the challenges and the good times of the past. Looking forward to the future, Harry remarked, "You know, I had my doubts when you told me who you were thinking of hiring, big ones. But over the years I've grown to trust your judgement. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't what we found at that March meeting in Livingston."

"The idea came from TR, and you know him. His enthusiasm can be hard to ignore but he is a good judge of character," interjected Norris.

Yount chuckled at the remembrance of Theodore Roosevelt, a New York eastern dude, who proved himself as hearty, knowledgeable about the wild, and energetic as any western born and bred man. He continued his original train of thought. "Heyes and Curry, those names, bring to mind the newspaper accounts and the dime novels. But spending the last month or two getting to know them and the last three weeks in close company, touring the park in the rough, gives a body a better picture of a man. What I knew of them, ain't the half of it, is it?"

Norris leaned back in his chair, glanced over at the park map pinned to the office wall and agreed, "Those boys done good, better than I'd hoped for. Heyes had some good ideas about what the typical tourist would want to see and how to direct and manage them. I especially like his idea of issuing annual park permits for tour operators, limiting the number of operators and holding them to set rules to ensure compliance if they want the business the next year. Curry is definitely out talked by his partner but what he does say is worth listening to."

Harry lounged back in his chair. "They sure work well together, I guess they'd have to, to be a successful as they were and to stay one jump ahead of the law for all them years. And who knew, they'd both have a great sense of humor? I feel much better Phil, with Curry's skills that we've seen the last few weeks, it'd be hard to pick a better man. And Heyes, he'll be able to help you with the administrative work. The man has a sharp mind. It'll be put to better use protecting and building the park, than robbin' the railroads and banks. Although, in a way you'll still have him putting one hand in pockets, legally, of course."

The two old colleagues shared a laugh. Philetus Norris turned serious. "Harry, you're right. I need the help. This way I can concentrate on lobbying Washington for funds and resources for the park development and garnering support in the big eastern cities while Heyes can work his magic in the west. He and Curry can manage the day to day operations and the three of us can work together on strategy."

"I'm gonna take a last look around then go finish packing. Curry and me are leaving early tomorrow for the train at Livingston. I do kinda wish I could see how he handles the brand-new college boys that we were saddled with as rangers, Adam, the New Yorker that came right before we left, and the two Harvard ones arriving tomorrow on the train." Chuckling, Harry Yount rose from the chair, took a last look around the superintendent's office, shook hands with Philetus Norris and walked out to his own office.

Norris called out, "Keep in touch. You've become a good friend, I'd like to hear how things are going with you every now and then."

"Sure thing, Phil. Maybe you can stop by in Saint Louis on your travels."

Harry entered his office to find Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes sprawled out in the two office chairs positioned in front of the recently cleaned off desk, laughing. Both partners shot to their feet with slightly guilty expressions as if they were caught doing something out of turn.

"Relax, I'm just taking a last look around." Harry glanced over at the cluttered side table and straight-backed chair Curry had been using while Harry was still Chief Gamekeeper and they were sharing the same office. Yount reached down to open a drawer in the desk, pulled out a package, heavy for its size, and handed it to the Kid. He gestured for Curry to come around in sit in the proper desk chair.

Heyes and Harry shared a conspiratorial smile before they focused on the blond opening the unexpected present. A fine-grained wood stand that held a long narrow piece of petrified wood, spectacularly colored and beautifully carved with a dark wood inlay spelling out the words "Jedediah Curry, Park Ranger Chief - Yellowstone National Park", was revealed.

Kid looked flabbergasted, as the current rangers appeared at the door in order to say good bye to their old boss. Good byes and congratulations went all around as the men crowded around the desk.

The men were leaving, to give Harry Yount privacy with his memories. Curry was the last out the door.

"Kid?"

Curry turned back. "Yeah?"

"I'm not going to be long. If you want when I'm done I can help move your stuff into my or I should say your apartment half of the quarters."

Kid smiled as he replied, "Thanks for the offer Harry, but Heyes and me decided that since we've shared living space for most of our lives that for now, until one of us comes home with a wife, we'll stay in Heyes' half of the building. As long as we each have our own room, we're good."

"Suit yourself. It'll be there when you find yourself a gal." Harry winked and waved good bye as Kid left the doorway.

* * *

It was turning out to be a warm spring day, with an expansive blue sky above the sheltered valley on the way to Livingston, Montana. Harry Yount was giving Curry a break from handling the reins to the wagon team after a brief stop for an early lunch. The two men had traveled for several hours since leaving Monmouth Springs, Wyoming at dawn. This section of road was relatively smooth and straight, not demanding much attention as the horses plodded on. The retiring gamekeeper, his mind wandering in thought, was stealing furtive glances at his traveling companion.

"So, what's your plan after you drop me and my stuff off at the train station?" Harry inquired.

Kid looked over from his habitual surveillance of the surrounding countryside. "After I take the horses and wagon over to the livery, I have to go register at the hotel for two rooms. Next thing is to have a nice dinner. Then, I thought I'll find a saloon, have a nice cold beer or two, maybe sit in on a poker game. I should be able to increase my stake without too much trouble."

"Don't get so involved in the poker game you forget to collect those Harvard college boys."

"I won't. It's my partner that loses himself in the poker games, not me. Besides, I've never yet missed a train I was supposed to meet one way or another. The train arrives at 11:35 pm. I'll be there to meet them and take them to the hotel for the night."

"What do you think of college educated rangers?"

"My first choice is to hire local men for the remaining ranger jobs. They'll know the area, the terrain, the weather, the people and the animals. I won't have to worry so much about them getting into trouble while learning the job. On the other hand, as my partner has pointed out, knowing about natural history and geology will help us explain to the people touring the park what they're seeing and why it's important to preserve Yellowstone for the future. Heyes knows a little from books that he's read but we both could learn a lot more from them. So, I'll take both the college boys and the local guys, if I can find any locals that are willin' to work for us."

Harry nodded as Curry outlined his thoughts. He finally decided to say what was on his mind.

"You know, Curry, I'm glad I had the chance to get to know you. I never would have thought I'd ever say that about you or your partner just a month or so ago."

Yount cut his eyes quickly sideways to rest briefly on his companion sitting beside him on the wagon seat before returning to the road in front of him.

Curry smiled and answered matter-of-factly, "You're not the first person to say something like that. Thanks."

"I've told Norris, I feel good about leaving the park in your hands and I meant it. TR was right, you might not have had a fancy education in natural science or geology, like the new college boys, you ain't a rancher's son like the two men I hired, you're not like me havin' been a wilderness guide for years but robbin', runnin' a gang with your partner, runnin' from the law and the many kind of jobs you've told us you boys did tryin' to get amnesty sure seemed to turn you into ranger chief material…"

Kid outright laughed at Harry's genuine puzzlement. He had to admit he was a bit puzzled himself at the turn of events, and very grateful but it was still hard to believe when he woke up in the dead of night, panicked at the thought it was nothing but a dream.

"…Plus, you're a natural observer, know what you're doing in the wilderness, and lord knows I ain't never in all my born days seen anyone as good with a revolver as you. Norris and me just couldn't believe you making that shot that quick and dead on last week and Heyes sat there like he's seen you do somethin' like it a thousand time before. No wonder you're called a livin' legend."

"Harry, I'm called a lot of things, most of them not fit for polite company. The livin' legend is straight out of the dime novels, but thanks for the vote of confidence. I have a feeling I'm gonna need all the support I can get." The former gunslinger grew thoughtful himself. Kid Curry kept his awe at his new responsibilities and fear that he wasn't the man to fulfill them to himself, those were to share with Heyes alone.

* * *

Philetus Norris and Hannibal Heyes were bent over a map table in Heyes' office where the most up to date large survey of Yellowstone National Park was unrolled. Both men had a pencil in hand and were marking out the tentative route for a Grand Loop road to be constructed first, making use of trails, where they existed, and designating camping, viewing, and off-limits areas along the route. If that project was successful then Heyes had suggested a slightly larger loop, with the eastern side skirting Yellowstone Lake, to make a big figure eight. Straight extensions could be planned later to reach out to the sides, creating entrances from all sides of the park. The men fed off each other's vision and big ideas for the National Park. Both men looked up at the sound of loud voices from the headquarters' lobby.

"Who are you? Never mind, just get out of our way. We need to see the Superintendent. Norris!"

A troop of middle-aged men, oozing self-importance and with an aura of men used to being obeyed pushed past the lone clerk employed at headquarters and tramped into Heyes' office when they spotted Norris through the door. Heyes' hackles were immediately raised. He spent years thwarting such men, and recently, through the special circumstances Heyes and Curry found themselves, he was obligated to hold his tongue to earn a paycheck for working like a dog. Then he remembered part of his job was community relations and these men were most likely part of the community he needed to relate to.

Norris stood up straight and went to greet the big man at the front. "Ah, the Northern Chapter of the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. Hello, have you come all the way out here to complain about the bison grazing again, or dispute the official survey, or are wolves, grizzlies or cougars harassing your stock, what can we do for you?"

"No, I mean yes to all of those things, not that complain' to you has got us anywhere yet. We have to do what we have to do and so do you. I don't see that stoppin' any time soon. We're here because we've heard you have Heyes and Curry working here. Are those thieves actually walking around free and are expected to tell good upstanding citizens what to do on government land?"

Norris suppressed a wiry grin. "Allow me to perform the introductions. Gentlemen, please meet the new Yellowstone Director of Planning and Community Relations, Hannibal Heyes."

Heyes pasted a false wide smile on his face but his brown eyes remained hard and measuring.

"Heyes, the Northern Wyoming Chapter President who inquired about your employment is Ray Taylor. Mr. Taylor owns a ranch bordering the park outside of Ralston, the other ranchers are Clive Owens and Sven Johansson from the Badger Basin area, Frank Barrows is from Elk Basin, Nathan Kraashaur's from west of Clark and Bill Seawell is from outside of Cody."

Heyes gave a curt nod to each man.

Barrows and Johansson were looking around nervously and startled when Owens barked out, "Where's the Kid? I can't believe Governor Warren gave that murderer amnesty, much less that you hired him."

"The Kid is not a murderer. He's never been wanted for murder and has only ever killed a man in self-defense, as a last resort." Heyes defended his absent partner.

Kraashaur added in to the general dissatisfaction, "Heyes, maybe I can give the benefit of the doubt to. He's a thief…"

"Was a thief. We haven't robbed anyone for a number of years now. The Kid and I earned that amnesty," Heyes informed the ranchers.

"…Alright was a thief, no offense intended Mr. Heyes."

"It's just Heyes, none taken. I realize it will take time for the community to get to know us."

"Okay, Heyes it is then. But you at least have the reputation for being a smart man, not given to violence. But then I guess that is what you had Kid Curry for. But Norris, putting Kid Curry, the Fastest Gun in the West as the Ranger Chief, what were you thinking?"

"Wait a minute. My partner is a lot more than a fast gun. He's…"

"He's actually a personable young man. I think we should give him a chance." Conversation in the room halted and all eyes turned to Bill Seawell, who with a mixture of defiance and embarrassment made eye contact with Heyes.

Ray Taylor rounded on his fellow rancher, "Bill?"

"I've met Curry before, although, I didn't know his real name at the time. He introduced himself as John Hotchkiss. He bought horses from my ranch, a few times. The man knows what he's looking at, that's for sure. Paid cash…"

"Most likely stolen cash," Taylor commented in disgust.

Heyes shifted his focus between the speakers and when his eyes met Seawell's again they widened in amusement and recognition.

"…Anyway, how was I to know if it was stolen or not…"

"You're not that far from Devil's Hole, didn't you guess?"

"The Devil's Hole Gang never bothered anyone or robbed anything in Cody. I'm not saying it was right or wrong or that I knew who they were but I do know that the business owners in Cody were mighty grateful for the business, enough so the local law turned a blind eye."

"Actually, it might have been legitimate poker winnings. And we always tried to be good neighbors," Heyes couldn't resist pointing out.

"…As I was saying, I've dealt with Kid Curry a few times, unknowingly. Once he even rescued my daughter from being run over by a runaway buckboard on the streets of Cody. He recognized her from the ranch, she was quite taken with him after that, now that I think back, she was kinda taken with him after the first time he met her, I guess that women find him handsome but he acted the perfect gentlemen. He didn't look or act anything like a notorious gunfighter should. My wife liked him, too, when he ate dinner with us, said he had proper manners."

The ranchers were looking at their colleague is disbelief, while Norris looked bemused and Heyes rolled his eyes.

"What should a notorious gunfighter act like?" Heyes was always curious to know what others thought they should be like. That they didn't fit the stereotype armed robbers was one of the major reasons they were so hard to identify and capture.

Seawell shuffled his feet and wondered why he bothered to speak up. He'd get nothing but grief and disdain from the other ranchers. He should have kept his mouth shut. But on the other hand, he had liked the boy when he believed him to be a wrangler sent to purchase horses from one of the ranches further away. Kid Curry had been an amiable young man, yet there was an authoritative edge to him that both he and Seawell's ranch foreman had noted, which kept the business transactions straightforward.

Owens spoke up, "Gunfighters are mean, easily offended, arrogant hard men. They'll shoot you just as soon as look at you. If a body were to give one of 'em the fisheye it's, 'pistols at dawn.'"

"I hate to disappoint you folks but my partner doesn't do anything at dawn, certainly nothing before breakfast, if he can help it. Too bad the Kid isn't here at the moment because he'd love to hear what you have to say." Heyes' laugh had a challenging hint in it.

Norris gained control of the conversation. "Thank you for voicing your concerns. I can assure you that Mr. Curry is not in the habit of using his gun unnecessarily…"

"Never has. Not ever. The Kid is fast, accurate and he knows when to keep the Colt in his holster. Like I said before, everyone he has aimed at has drawn first. He's killed a lot less than you'd believe and only to save his life or mine or someone he cares about. His skill will be useful in his new job to protect the people and the animals in the park." Heyes felt the need to be perfectly clear.

Norris continued, "I don't need to defend my decision to anyone but the U. S. Secretary of the Interior but I will say that I have every confidence that Heyes and Mr. Curry will be assets to the park and to the community. Their range of abilities, varied experiences, intellect, and skills are well suited to the expanding responsibilities and Yellowstone's overall mission. Since you made the journey all the way out here, if you want to move into the lounge we can all sit down with some coffee and discuss your concerns like reasonable men." He started to usher the men out of Heyes' office.

As Seawell passed Heyes he thought that yes, they can discuss things. He didn't know how reasonable some of his acquaintances would be, especially Taylor and Kraashaur. For himself, Bill thought that relations with the park and its personnel were about to get more interesting. Rumor had it that the Rangers were being increased to at least ten of them, which meant more area could be covered than before. He also thought despite Heyes and Curry being still young men they weren't to be pushed around and could very well be capable of enforcing the rules and regulations with a mixture of friendship, incentives, threats, and violence used only as a last resort. Personally, he'd rather stay on their good side and develop a cordial relationship in which to talk over differences.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yellowstone: Starting Careers**

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 **July 1885**

Ranger Chief Curry gave every indication of being a harried man as he critically eyed the almost completed log cabin. The Ranger Chief and the Director of Planning and Community Relations of Yellowstone National Park started out just after dawn to ride the twenty miles from the Mammoth Hot Springs Headquarters to the Yellowstone Grand Canyon, stopping at various points along the way. Kid Curry surveyed the area, making notes in a small notebook he held in his hand as he listened to his partner report updates on the new arrangements Heyes had negotiated with the railroad tie cutters regarding the clearing of the proposed Grand Loop road and the portioning out of the resulting logs. The two rangers, finishing the shingle roof of the simple cabin, gave a friendly wave at their boss as Curry strode closer to lend a hand shifting the remaining bundles of shingles up to roof.

Curry hefted the last bundle up before entering the cabin through the sturdy front door. He inspected the workmanship of the utilitarian two room cabin and the attached small barn for horses. "Nice work guys. Who knew that a fancy eastern college man could be so good with his hands? Or is that the experienced ranger is a good teacher?"

A choked laugh sounded behind Kid, which he ignored.

Heyes couldn't resist. "As if you'd know, Mr. Slowest Hammer in the West with two left thumbs."

Curry finally turned to give his partner the look. "I may not be the best carpenter, but having turned a hand to the trade, at least I know well built when I see it."

Two brown-haired heads peered down from the disappearing hole in the roof with big smiles on both their faces. The experienced ranger, Greg Zimmer, was the youngest son of a Colorado rancher who decided to try a new vocation, promising adventure and variety, two years ago in the National Park Gamekeepers Service and stayed. The other was a new hire, Adam Bergen, a recent graduate from Columbia University's Natural History program, on the recommendation from George B. Grinnell. Grinnell took part in creating the deal for Curry and Heyes to become employees of Yellowstone National Park in return for the amnesty. Curry was inclined to listen and give the benefit of the doubt to one of the proponents of the conservation movement in America as he did with the two Harvard graduates that Roosevelt recommended, who were currently working in the Monmouth Springs Headquarters area.

Heyes followed Kid's cabin tour, shaking his head. "I still say building this cabin was a waste of time when we've started the building of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon Hotel only seven more miles down the road. Especially when you've only managed to fill half the open ranger positions."

Kid sighed as he exited the cabin and began walking the perimeter. "Heyes we've been over this before. You and Norris have big plans for the tourists with your Grand Loop. The rangers have to able to patrol the area in all kinds of weather and year-round for us to do our job keeping track of the animal populations, watching for forest fires, and if anything illegal is going on. The hotel will only be open for part of the year. I want a line ranger station every twenty or so miles for the Ranger's use. You know how quick the conditions change and they'll need to be able to reach a snug stocked shelter in one day's time, preferably less, and they don't need to open up a big hotel. A small cabin and storeroom with a place for the horses will do."

"I just thought since you're short on staff and with the tie cutters outfit clearing for the road in this area at a good clip and the hotel going up according to schedule that it would save you from building one more cabin. Aren't you being a might picky?"

"I am being picky, and you know why. Haven't we been out, miles from nowhere, when finding shelter from sudden weather became a matter of life and death?"

"Yeah, but they ain't running from a posse. They don't have to be out if it looks like a big storm or a blizzard is rolling in."

"They might. Not everyone roamin' the park is going to use common sense, or listen to what the rangers or guide is telling them. Folks, especially if they're not from around here, think they know things they really don't. Plus, you should talk, I'm just picky about different things than you are, Heyes, that's all. So much depends upon us getting this job right, for us and for Yellowstone. I've got the rangers that Harry Yount left us and they're good men. I've got the college boys that Grinnell and TR recommended and while they're green to the ways of the West, they're eager and not afraid of hard work. But you and I know more about the Yellowstone area than any of them. What with the necessity of building and plannin' the park headquarters village and hiring the local civilians workin' the small general mercantile, the livery, the canteen or whatever not much has gotten done in the rest of the park."

"I know Kid, and I do think your idea of hiring local people for support staff and to fill the remaining ranger positions is a good one."

"My job is to keep everyone and everything in the park safe…"

Heyes eyes widened at Curry's understanding of the Ranger Chief's responsibilities.

"…I'll tell you, Heyes, we don't have a large enough gang to do that. It was much easier with the banks and trains. Then I could keep control, most of the time. I only had to worry about a certain area for a certain period of time. I knew who was there, what they were doing, who was expected, and about when. Now, I gotta worry about the forest burnin' down, the animals gettin' poached, people going where they shouldn't be goin', keepin' law and order in a big chunk of Wyoming with some Montana and Idaho thrown in, and gettin' folks to forgive and forget that we probably robbed some of them." Kid's voice was full of earnestness.

Heyes fought an involuntary grin from forming at Kid's naïve drive to do it all. "Actually, I think that the forgiving and forgetting part is my job as community relations. You can help, just as I can help you. Kid, you do know that all everyone expects you do is to do your best with the resources that we have."

Kid kept walking around the newly built cabin but he cut his eyes sideways towards his partner as he shifted his attention from the building's construction to the spoken and unspoken words he was hearing.

"Part of the reason we were hired is that we're very good at doing the seemingly impossible. Even though I get most of the credit for planning the jobs both you and I know that you, as the silent partner, were a big part of our success. More people are going to see that, TR did that's why he recommended both of us. Hiring local help, letting more people see and get to know the real you is a good start towards cooperation with the locals."

Heyes and Curry had competed a circuit of the structure and started back to where their horses were tethered. Kid gazed back to the men completing the work on the roof then met the sympathetic browns of his longtime partner.

"Yeah, except the locals are more interested in poaching, slaughtering the buffalo, uhm bison. I learned that we have bison in America while true buffalo are from Africa and Asia. As I was saying, the locals rather slaughter the bison to get rid of the competition to the cattle, cutting the lumber and grazing on the land than they are in lettin' their sons work to protect the game, and the park. Especially, if the people in charge are the ones who have a history of taking their money. You're at least making some headway in the planning and you did talk that bunch of potential donors Superintendent Norris sent our way from Washington from his big eastern trip into handing over hard cash. Are you still going to go ahead with your idea to put a plaque with the donor's name on it attached to a stagecoach, a cabin or a room at the hotel depending upon how much they ponied up? Which donor is gonna get this cabin named after him?"

Heyes laughed. "I don't know, perhaps I'll let Adam or Greg pick a name from my cabin level donor list." He thought Kid looked as if he had the weight of the world resting on his shoulders and the lack of even a halfhearted smile confirmed his suspicion that Curry was taking his new responsibilities very seriously and maybe was trying too hard. Since they started their new positions and the possibility of a real future became a reality, Kid seemed to lose a little of his ability to live fully in the moment and to find happiness in little things. Funny that, Heyes reflected, he felt freer from worry, especially about the future while his cousin became more deliberate.

"Kid, I always say there's a formula for everything. We'll find the right ingredients and ways to put them together to make this work. You gotta give yourself some time, after all Rome wasn't built in a day, you know."

Fast approaching pounding hoofbeats caused Curry and Heyes snap their heads up, listening hard. A lone rider atop a lathered horse broke into a clearing and pulled up short in front of the two men.

"I'm glad I found ya. You gotta help quick!" the young man panted out as he slumped in his saddle, looking panicked. "My friend's brother was visitin' the hotel construction site near the falls. We lost track of him and he went off to climb closer to the falls. He's stuck at the bottom of the canyon by the lower falls, north side. He's hurt and can't get back up. Please you gotta help us." The newcomer yanked the tired horse around in preparation to have the rescuers follow him.

Heyes mounted his horse and tried to get details out the worried messenger. Kid took a few precious moments before wheeling around to yell, "Adam, Greg, come with us, bring the rope you're using to haul supplies! Let's see what we have in the area before I send one you on a four-hour round trip ride back to headquarters!"

The riders then took off, shouting questions and answers, in an effort to learn as much as they could of the situation before they arrived at the rescue destination.

* * *

 **The North Side of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon**

Heyes and Curry found most of the construction crew from the hotel had already arrived and were sorting the mound of supplies they had hastily gathered into piles of what was definitely needed and what might be potentially useful. The partners directed Adam, their college educated ranger, to supervise and organize a mission staging area while they and Greg continued on to the canyon rim. They sought an optimal vantage point in order to fully assess the situation for themselves and stood stock still a few feet from the edge for several long moments before eyes met with some consternation at the task before them.

"Heyes, you want to be the leader?"

"I think this time it's you, Kid."

"Thought so."

Curry turned back to the canyon rim and spent a few moments examining the situation from several angles before glancing over to his waiting supportive friend. Kid's face settled into a calm blank expression, usual when facing a challenge, and he drew a deep breath. "Okay, let's get to it. That boy don't have all day, lying so close to the falls and what looks like on fairly unstable ground. We're lucky it's not during the melt, the river is choked with rapids but it isn't at the high-water mark and shouldn't be too deep outside the main channel. Still, he tumbles down the last few feet into the river and this will likely turn from a rescue to a recovery of a body."

Kid Curry, Hannibal Heyes, and Greg Zimmer jogged back to the ever-expanding group of would be rescuers as more of the building crew and the adolescent's family arrived. Kid whistled loudly to gain everyone's attention and found a crate to stand on. Heyes remained close at his side.

"Listen up. We have a young man at the bottom of the canyon, dangerously close to the falls and the river. He's hurt, wet from the fall's mist, and looks to be on unstable rock and shale. The walls of the canyon are too steep to climb safely as he found out. So, we're gonna have to set up a rope rescue. Anyone see anything different?"

Kid had the men's attention, who all nodded that they were with him on the problem.

"Now, here's what we need to do. First did anyone go for a doc?"

A deep voice called out, "The doc's too far away but we have our crew medic here with his supplies."

"Good thinking, thanks, now …"

A worried rancher of middle-age and powerfully built pushed his way to the front of the surrounding crowd. "We need to get my boy up from out of there, RIGHT NOW!" The man's other two sons flanked him, radiating a sense of urgency.

Heyes stiffened as he recognized the rancher as one of the Stockgrowers members who came to Yellowstone earlier to protest the partners employment. "Your name's Taylor, right? President of the Northern Chapter of the Wyoming Stockgrowers? Mr. Taylor, let me assure you we're going to do everything we can to get your boy out safely."

Curry met the father's eyes with a calm steady stare. "What's your boy's name, Mr. Taylor?"

"Willis, my boy's name is Willis Taylor."

"We're going to get your son, Willis, up safely. But we need to do it so no else gets hurt and we need to do it smart as we'll only get one shot at getting him up before it gets too dark and unsafe."

Mr. Taylor pushed closer. He stated insistently as he gestured to the two younger men at his side, "My other sons can help. Ben, my oldest is pretty fast on his feet."

The older of the two Taylor sons pointed to the middle brother next to him and spoke up excitedly, "And Tom is always climbing things, ever since he was a youngin'. Pretty sure footed is Tom."

Kid continued on as he kept one eye on the agitated father, his right hand straying to the butt of his Colt as a matter of habit. "Thanks Mr. Taylor, Ben, Tom, we could sure use your family's help."

"I need the following people to come forward, Greg Zimmer, Adam Bergen, the construction foreman, any crew chiefs or team leaders that are here, and Willis's father and brothers so we can work this out."

A knot of men rushed up and surrounded the partners as Kid stepped off the crate. He directed everyone to identify himself by name and job so that he could match the person with the best role.

Curry pulled out his small notebook and pencil and scribbled roles and names, which he called out, "Heyes is in command of the topside operations. Everyone not going down the canyon reports to him. Staging area and supplies manager is Bob, the construction equipment crew chief. Bob, you're in charge of organizin' and checkin' everything we need to use. Make sure your men check that everything is in working order, the rope we need is strong enough, not rotted and choose the correct length for each leg down."

As Kid called out the names and assignments he made eye contact with each man to make sure they understood. He met the hostile stare of the boy's father and sought a reassuring small smile. "Mr. Taylor, I don't think we're going to be able to keep you away so you going to be the safety man. You make sure that a safety perimeter is marked and only people that need to be within it are there. Ben, your older son can be the runner, bringin' information, questions and supplies between groups. Tom, your other son, I'm told is a pretty good climber and outdoorsman so he'll be coming with me as part of the down canyon rescue team, either working one of the main or belay lines. Greg, you're with me going down as the rigger. Any questions so far before I go on?"

Heyes nodded as Curry went along, agreeing with all his assignments so far, except for one. He would save that discussion for the end when he could have a word somewhat privately. He wasn't challenging the Kid's authority because right now his partner projected calm competence and complete command and that was important in more ways than one.

Kid continued calling out assignments and writing them in his book. "Adam, you're managing the edge. Make sure everyone that's close or going over is tied on to an anchor point. You're also going to coordinate the line crews to let us down and haul up with Quinn, the construction foreman. Adam is in charge of the commands and signals for lowering and hauling up under Heyes direction. Make sure everyone knows the commands and signals up and down the lines. Quinn, you're in charge of the crews. You know the men here best so choose your steadiest, strongest and ones who have sure feet and hands and are not afraid of heights. Everyone clear?... Any questions? …Get to it."

The ranger chief snapped his little notebook closed, turned to his partner and shoved the book and pencil stub into Heyes' hands before turning to walk to the piles of ropes forming along the canyon rim, untying then unbuckling his gun belt along the way.

Heyes reached out to grab Curry's arm, stumbled slightly trying to keep in step and quietly but urgently hissed, "Kid, wait. I gotta talk to you for a minute. About the job assignments, I want to change something."

The blond stopped abruptly, shifted sideways and gave Heyes his undivided attention. Heyes' opinion was important to him and he valued his partner's experience.

"You and I are a team, right. We're used to working together in life-threatening situations and this rescue definitely qualifies. The stakes are high, one slip and you or and the men going down could be sliding and plunging to your death, smashed on the rock or drowning in the river. You need me down there with you. We know how each other thinks and moves, what we're capable of."

Kid pulled Heyes further off to the side, away from everyone. He stood tall, looked directly in his partner's worried brown eyes and with a calm intensity explained, "I know you want to be the one to go all the way down with me but I need you up here. Believe me partner, if there were two of you right now I'd take you with me in heartbeat. But Heyes, I'm trusting you with not only my life but with the lives of everyone, those going all the way down the canyon and those that are staying up here. There's no one else that I can absolutely rely on right now to make sure things are done how and when they need to be. And if things go wrong, I know that you can quickly make and carry out new plans to save who you can. You have to be the one supervising up top, while I take care of things down there. Think of it as - I get to jump on the roof of the train, while you supervise up the tracks, everyone's safe and we get the money."

A dark head nodded reluctantly. "It was little more complicated than that and you know it."

"I do, and that's why you're staying up here. You won't miss any details and you forget nothin'. Here, watch my gun, I'll need it when I get back up. Come on, help me check the ropes, choose the best line of approach, and figure out the best points to anchor the rope belays. I want a dual anchor system since I don't trust the stability of the trees or boulders on that terrain. And we have to go at him from the side to avoid a rockfall burying the poor kid."

Curry strode off as a man with a mission. Heyes was yanked back from following by a ham-fisted hold on his left arm. The former leader of the Devil's Hole Gang swung around and came face to face with an angry Mr. Taylor, father of the downed young man. Heyes shook off the fist, controlled his instinctual response and mentally gave himself two minutes to listen.

"Let me be frank, Heyes, I don't like the park being here. I've told you that when I first met ya. I don't like you and your partner being in Wyoming and not in prison. I don't like that gunnie being in charge. Dumb gunslingers' lives ain't worth a plugged nickel* but my sons' lives are sure worth a lot."

Brown eyes turned from barely patient to hard in a blink and Heyes didn't trust himself to respond. He made to move around the mountain of a man.

Taylor blocked his way again and held up a hand. "Let me finish, I'll be quick. I want Willis up here safe. I really don't want Tom going down the canyon. His rock climbing is one reason Willis is down there. And Tom's got wrong ideas about this park already, it's bad enough I let him work on the construction crew. He don't need no encouragin' by the likes of you. I've heard you're the genius planner. I may be stuck with you two so why don't you do what you're known for and take charge. My son's life is at stake!"

Heyes took a deep breath, he really didn't have time for this nonsense but he also remembered that the formula for success included winning over the hostile locals and to do that the locals were going to have to see that his reputation and his partner's, while earned, were only part of who they were now.

"Taylor, I'll be quick in return. Kid Curry is without a doubt the Fastest Gun in the West and that's a skill that may be needed in his job. I may be the planner but the Kid is the man that makes sure thing get done. You have a practical problem, the Kid will take care of it, there's no one I would depend on more. End of discussion. Time's wasting, don't you have a job Mr. Taylor?"

 **Two hours later**

Up on the rim of the canyon, Heyes was carefully checking the position of the rescuers against the planned route. They had reached the one section that was a relatively flatter incline. Heyes, eyes never leaving the rescue attempt, called over to Adam at his side, "Call the halt now."

Adam acknowledged, "Halt being called, free descent for bottom crew to begin. Free descent ending on your command." The ranger gave the agreed upon signals to be transmitted down the canyon among the rescue party.

Mr. Taylor, seeing the halt, stomped over. "What's going on? Why are they stopping? They can't quit now."

Heyes' gaze remained glued to the small figures half way down the slope but he maintained a calm external demeanor when he answered the father. "They're not stopping. There isn't enough rope to go all the way down the slope. The Kid thought it best to save what we have to use on the sections of canyon wall that are too dangerous to climb without one. The section where they are now they can do without." He kept the fact that doing without was far from ideal to himself as he anxiously continued to watch.

Half way down the canyon wall the incline flattened a little, there were more trees to provide hand holds and stabilize the soil. Kid received the signal that they were where they wanted to be to conserve the rope and he called a halt. Curry wanted to regroup, see how the men were holding up and reassess the remaining planned route from a closer vantage point.

The few remaining men were breathing hard from the steep and perilous descent, all the while knowing that they would still have to climb back up. They might have been living in a mountainous area but they weren't trained mountaineers. Kid covertly noticed which men were wiping sweaty palms, who was shooting nervous glances up or down the canyon, who was gulping water from their canteens, and made his decision of which men to take further down. The others he would leave at this last rope belay point on the upper slope as he had been leaving men at various points all the way down to work the ropes and pass along signals.

Tom Taylor was on edge literally and figuratively. His love of adventure, brotherly boasting and thoughtless goading had influenced his younger brother to attempt something that was foolhardy and dangerous to impress Tom. The climb to this point hammered home that his experience was woefully inadequate. Tom started to doubt his nerve but felt obligated to continue. He licked his suddenly dry lips.

"Tom?"

"Huh?" Tom looked up from staring down the slope into the cool blue evaluating eyes of Kid Curry. Curry knew fear, knew what courage and control it took to master the fear, push it down, and continue with what needed to be done. He recognized that ability in the younger man as he watched Tom Taylor's subtle struggle for bravery.

"Tom. I'd say that you've shown a natural skill getting down here so far. You handle the ropes well and show care in choosin' your position. I'd like you to come down with Greg and me. We're going some ways without ropes before we tie up again for the steepest bit at the bottom. Are you okay with that?"

Tom nodded. "It's my brother down there. I gotta go."

"The only ones who gotta go are Greg and me. It's our job. I wouldn't be giving you a choice if I didn't think you could do it. One of the things I learned from my partner is to only give folks jobs that they're capable of if you want the plan to succeed. Tom, I plan on succeedin', on getting Willis back up safely. You understand?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Curry."

"My friends call me Kid. That'll do. Are you good to go?"

"Yeah Kid, I'm good to go." Tom's confidence grew and he even felt his dry lips tug into a half smile.

"Okay then. Guys don't get ahead of me and we tie back up when we get the signal."

The three remaining rescuers gathered up the ropes and supplies they were taking further down and continued the tricky descent.

Curry adjusted the rope chest harness he was wearing to move the irritation points as he caught his breath nearly at the bottom of the canyon. His face a few inches from the almost vertical canyon wall, he was surprised to find himself appreciating the composition and color of the wall. The college boys were gradually educating the partners on the science of Yellowstone; Heyes was a natural student but even Kid Curry found himself wanting to pay attention. In return, the ex-outlaws were teaching the practical ways of survival in the unforgiving wilderness. Both groups were finding enjoyment and worth in the exchange of information and ideas. His breath caught, Kid's mind came back to the matter at hand.

Ranger Chief Curry looked up at his most experienced ranger, Greg Zimmer, located about sixty feet above him and gave thanks for the man's competence as the two descended all the way down the canyon, some six hundred feet or so at this point. There were others stationed at intervals higher up the canyon's steep slope, Tom, the teen's brother was above Greg and had also acquitted himself well. The teams, both the upper and the lower, had handled the decent of steep slopes and sheer rock walls with control and coordination and only minor mishaps as the men learned to work together.

Greg was double checking the last two anchor points and scoping out the possibilities of a lateral move to give his boss a safer option for the last leg of the decent to the rescue point. Kid was approximately thirty feet down river from where Willis was lying. He couldn't see the victim due a huge boulder sitting half in and half out of the water below but there wasn't a suitable way down on the other side without endangering the teen further. He didn't want to cause an inadvertent rockfall or slide above Willis.

Curry waited until Greg looked down and then he pointed to the river. The strong negative head shake was not an unexpected response.

Kid yelled back, "I don't see any other way, I'm gonna have to go in and struggle upstream. It don't look too deep. If I keep to the edge I should be able to manage the current. You'll have control of my line."

He studied the swirling eddies at the river's edge, trying to determine the current patterns, muttering to himself, "It's a good thing Heyes stayed up top so I can't hear him havin' a fit and goin' on about everythin' to watch for, what can go wrong with I've got to do. As if I haven't figured that out yet." Kid wiped the sweat off his forehead with a damp sleeve.

Curry tried to ease himself in slowly but the loose rocks skittered down, making his footing precarious. When the shale started to slide, he found himself dumped in the river along with the collapsing bank. The cold rushing water swirled around his upper thighs and tugged at the boots but the Kid remained on his feet as he gingerly hugged the boulder, slid his feet, one foot at a time along the bottom, testing his ability to stay upright in the strong current before committing to the new position. He slowly worked his way around to the other side. There was a fleeting moment of fear when Curry was abruptly yanked backwards, lost his footing and went backwards underwater briefly before he was able to regain his feet. He realized his tether was hung up on the rough surface of the boulder and it took a combined effort of Greg working the rope from above and Curry from below before the two managed to allow for continued advancement of position. Finally, he spotted his objective.

"Willis?" There was no discernable response from the damp figure lying on the cold, wet ground.

Kid raised his voice as he carefully semi-crawled up the steep river embankment, trying not to disturb the soil and rocks. "Willis, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I can hear you," came a weak reply, although, the teen didn't move in any way.

"Hi, Willis, I'm one of the rangers from Yellowstone Park. We have a whole team of men working to get you safely out of here. You and I just have to take care of few things first and then we'll be on our way."

The lad lifted his head slightly, his eyes widening at the first look at his rescuer.

Kid knelt by Willis' side and leaned over him so he could maintain eye contact. "Willis, I can see you hurt your left leg. I can also see some cuts that bled some. I expect you have plenty of bruises. Can you tell me, are you hurtin' bad anywhere else?"

"My left leg hurts bad and I can't move it. I'm sore all over and real tired and cold. But nothing else is hurtin' worse than the leg."

Curry untied the oilskin sack attached to his back and started to unload supplies he brought and got to work. He tried to keep a steady stream of words flowing to calm the frightened teen and let him know what was happening. "Okay, here's what I'm gonna do. I have some bandages that will cover the open wounds. I'm pretty sure your lower leg is broken so I'm gonna have to wrap that leg to keep the bones from moving too much as we move you back up the canyon wall. I have to run my hands lightly over you to make sure nothing else is broken, I'll try not to press too hard. You see the rope harness I'm wearing? Well, I've got one for you too, 'cause I'm guessing you're not climbing up on your own, huh?"

Willis was clenching his fists and tensing at the slightest touch. The young man was staring at his rescuer through pain-narrowed and teary eyes. He asked through clenched teeth, "Are you Kid Curry? My brother Tom said Kid Curry was now the Chief Ranger at Yellowstone. My brother wants to be a ranger but my father said absolutely not, especially if Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were involved. OWW! Are you done? Please be done."

"Almost Willis, almost. Your brothers and father are here helping. Tom has been a big help, he came down with us. You'll see him soon." Curry continued to work swiftly, lifting Willis up a little to slip the harness over his head, and pull the boy's arms through, tightening and adjusting the tension of the ropes and knots as best he could.

"So, are you him? Kid Curry? Where's your Colt?"

"Yep, I am. Well, you see I'm real partial to that Colt and guns and water don't mix. I left it with my partner, Hannibal Heyes, up top."

"Can I call you Kid, Mr. Curry? It'd be swell to be able to say I know Kid Curry. You're pretty famous, you know."

Curry's eyes rolled heavenwards. "Infamous, maybe. Willis, bein' as you're going be tied to me real close as we go back around that boulder I think you're entitled to call me Kid if you want."

"Kid, you ever do this before?" Fear, exhaustion, and pain were evident in the shaky voice.

The Ranger Chief and ex-outlaw hesitated for a second, stopped what he was doing and again made sure Willis could look him straight in the face. "If you mean have I rescued anyone from the bottom of a canyon next to a raging river then the answer would be no. You're the first. But, I have rescued a safe from a muddy edge of lake and dragged it up a mountain. And I have had lots of experience moving people and supplies over all sorts of terrain, and in all sorts of conditions. Willis, you said you've heard of me, right?"

"Right, you and Hannibal Heyes and the Devil's Hole Gang are real famous."

"So, what are we known for? Good planning, always getting what we came for, and keeping everyone safe – no one gets hurt."

"Yeah, but…"

"But nothin', you may not be in a bank or a train and you're definitely a lot more fragile than a safe but you are valuable. Heyes is up on the rim, making sure everything is going right and on schedule. Believe me, my partner will miss nothing. In fact, he was the one who had the construction guys make a special kind of travois that Greg could carry down on his back and put together down here. Instead of the Devil's Hole Gang, we have the Yellowstone Ranger and Hotel Construction Gang to do the work. And I'm in charge of safety and security and I'm going to keep you safe. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Willis, it's alright to be scared. It's a pretty scary thing that happened and being pulled back up the canyon by ropes attached to your harness and travois is not something you probably want to do. But I know you're brave to have attempted to climb down, even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do. I'm gonna be honest with you, the ride up is going to hurt, I can't help that. There is a medic waiting for us up top. We'll try to keep the bumps and jerks down and give you the smoothest ride we can. There will be stops along the way at the belay stations. There's a part where we're going to have climb up without the aid of an anchor rope. Don't' worry we got down here just fine and Tom, your brother, will be going up right behind you. He's done really well. Once we get half way up, we'll be passing you and Tom up the line of men waiting for us. Greg, the other ranger and me will go up last 'cause we have to bring up everything we took down. You understand?"

A nod of the head and short bout of convulsive swallows showed Kid that the victim had at least a vague grasp of the situation.

"Ready buddy?"

* * *

Heyes paced the rim, looked down for the umpteenth time, paced again and tugged at the safety rope anchoring him from inadvertently going over the rim in annoyance. His brain kept telling him it was a good plan, things were going as they should and that the Kid had everything in control. Except his stomach knew that you can't control Mother Nature and frightened, inexperienced, and tired men can make mistakes - costly fatal mistakes.

The canyon crew drew close. Heyes and Adam, the ranger in charge of the rim, coordinated the successful retrieval of the men. Finally, the travois bearing Willis Taylor was passed along to be hauled carefully up and over to safety, his brother Tom proudly following.

Spontaneous cheering and clapping erupted from all those who watched and participated in some way. Willis' father, brothers, and the construction crew medic surrounded the boy as he was moved further from the edge, enveloped in blankets and placed within the warmth of a waiting fire. Word was soon spread that Willis Taylor, despite a broken leg and numerous cuts and bruises, would be fine after his long ordeal.

Heyes waited not so patiently at the rim, observing the renewed activity of the staging area teams, the happy and relieved reunion of the Taylors, and turned back to make sure that all made it safely back up, especially the very last man, his partner Kid Curry.

Kid dragged his dirty and tired body back over the top of the canyon rim with the help of Heyes, and Adam. Curry stood still, appreciating the scene of the men sharing the relief and pride of a tough job well done. Heyes reached out and gave a gentle pat on the back, partly to congratulate the Kid and partly to reassure himself that Curry was safe and sound. Soon others drifted back over to the partners, a crowd formed with most of the individuals pressed into service wanting to shake their hands with new found respect.

Mr. Taylor strode quickly over and pushed his way through the crowd. He roughly offered his hand to Heyes while grudgingly voicing his thanks. "Thanks, Heyes. I'll admit you know how to organize and carry out a job and Willis is safe because of that."

Taylor briefly made eye contact with Curry, gave a curt nod before abruptly turning on his heel and returned to his oldest and youngest sons. Tom Taylor, the middle son, following his father, blurted out, "Pa? Pa ain't you gonna thank Kid Curry too. He's the one who actually went down and got Willis and kept lettin' us know we could do it. Pa?"

Heyes and Curry watched father and son retreat with chagrined expressions as Taylor senior's opinion of Curry drifted back on the wind.

"No, I'm not. I've said our thanks. Fast with a gun, playing with people's lives for thrills or adventure ain't somethin' to be admired. Don't go thinkin' that his one good deed can erase a thieven', killin' past. What makes him qualified to tell us good folk what we can and can't do on land the government put out of bounds, I'll never know or is it that fast gun hand of his? If I gotta keep telling you, Tom, that Kid Curry ain't some hero, I will."

Heyes' chagrin turned into a bemused smile as he remarked to his weary partner, "Better watch out, Kid, instead of Kid Curry, chivalrous bank and train robber, rescuing damsels in distress from mean rival gangs we'll have Kid Curry, Yellowstone Ranger Chief, rescuing damsels in distress from the bottom of river canyons in the new dime novels. Hannibal Heyes, of course, will still be the genius mastermind planner behind the action hero."

"Well the action is done. Maybe it's time for the genius mastermind planner to plan and organize the clean-up 'cause the work's only half finished."

Heyes dimpled smile slowly dissipated into a thoughtful grin. "I can do that for you. You look beat, go sit somewhere and take a rest. You earned it."

"Nah, it'll go faster if we divide the tasks up. Heyes, thanks for the help and for…for everything."

"No problem. We'll talk later but you did well today and you no longer have to face challenges alone, life and death or otherwise." The two men shared a look of understanding.

Kid Curry broke the spell to look around and called out, "Adam, Greg, over here. Our work's not done."

* * *

 **Two months later – Yellowstone National Park, Park Headquarters Building**

"Anybody here?"

"In here."

"Where, here?"

Heyes put down his pen and pushed out from his desk. It was late in the day, an unusual time for a visitor to find their way to Park Headquarters. He left his office to investigate and found the back of a vaguely familiar looking young man studying the large park map mounted on the lobby's wall.

"Can I help you?"

The visitor turned towards the voice.

"Tom Taylor, is that you? How's your brother." Heyes recognized the middle Taylor brother from the canyon rescue.

"Willis is doing fine, he's finally walking on that leg. Not too good yet, but walking, thanks to everyone at Yellowstone."

"Glad to hear it. What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Kid Curry, rather Ranger Chief Curry. Do you know where he is?"

"Well he spent most of the day with Adam tracking some wolves towards Gardiner that the ranchers are saying are bothering their stock. But now I think the college boys are explaining to him why the water of the Travertine Terraces suddenly shifted course sometime yesterday. You should find him easy enough if you head a little way down the road further into the park. You can't miss them. He shouldn't be far at all."

"Thanks, Heyes."

Heyes was intrigued, knowing of Tom's desire to try rangering not ranching but also knowing Taylor senior's opinion of the National Park, his bare tolerance of Heyes, and his unconcealed animosity for Kid. He peered outside through the lobby window to watch the retreating back of the young man before returning to his office. The notes on what he wanted to get across about Yellowstone weren't going to write themselves for his upcoming meeting with the Wyoming Stockgrowers' Association in Cheyenne.

Deep in thought Heyes scribbled, thought, crossed out, and scribbled some more. He looked up and was startled to notice Kid leaning in the doorway, arms crossed and a slight smile on his face.

"How long have you been there?"

"Not long, how's the presentation going?"

"It's going, but frankly I don't expect much success for the first meeting. I just want them to get used to the idea that the park and us are here to stay. And they know we're not pushovers from our earlier career, not that I want to bring that up, seeing on how I plan to take even more of their money in the after-meeting poker game."

Curry came all the way into Heyes' office and stretched out in a chair.

"Yeah, no doubt about it, you'll have better luck at poker than of convincin' them the bison heard is entitled to graze on U.S. land."

"Perhaps instead of money, I'll talk them into playing for grazing rights. My chips are worth so many bison and theirs are worth so many cattle."

"Get that look out of your eye, Heyes. Norris wouldn't be pleased if you lost and when he comes back West from his big eastern trip to find out we're hosting some rancher's cattle herd on purpose."

"Ah Kid, that's no fun. You gotta have a little faith. But I guess you're the voice of reason, for a change. By the way, what did Tom Taylor want?"

"He wants to apply for a ranger job after the hotel construction stops for the winter. He managed to get his mom on his side, who persuaded the father that Tom wasn't cut out to be a rancher. I'll tell you Heyes, I'd like to hire him and one of his friends is also interested, the one who rode to get us that day. They're local boys, good in emergencies, and both of them did well on that canyon rescue."

"What did I tell you? There's a formula for everything. We just added one more ingredient. Our good deed where you played the hero, got you two of the kind of rangers you wanted."

Curry stomach rumbled, causing him to stand up and stretch. "Well, I'll leave you to figuring out the formula for getting cooperation from the Stockgrowers Association. I'm done for the day. I'm heading home."

"Wait, I'm coming too. Figuring out that part of the formula is going to take more than just today."

* * *

NOTES:

The first Director of the National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather, reflected upon the early park rangers as follows:

They are a fine, earnest, intelligent, and public-spirited body of men, these rangers. Though small in number, their influence is large. Many and long are the duties heaped upon their shoulders. If a trail is to be blazed, it is "send a ranger." If an animal is floundering in the snow, a ranger is sent to pull him out; if a bear is in the hotel, if a fire threatens a forest, if someone is to be saved, it is "send a ranger." If a Dude wants to know the why, if a Sagebrusher is puzzled about a road, it is "ask the ranger." Everything the ranger knows, he will tell you, except about himself.

*I looked up the phrase not worth a plugged nickel (to indicate worthlessness) to see when it originated. Interestingly, the phrase was first seen in print in the 1880s "Plugs are the holes made in coins, which is then filled with a cheaper metal. Coins so tampered with are no longer legal tender and are thus worthless if spotted. The phrase is, of course, American. Before 'plugged nickels' there were 'plugged quarters' and 'plugged dimes'. The various versions of the phrase appear in the 1880s." .

References:

Philips, K. (2005). _Basic Technical Rescue_ , The National Park Search and Rescue Service, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ.

 _Oh, Ranger_!. This was a book written by a National Park Ranger originally published in the 1920's. Retrieved from, .gov/parkhistory/online_

The following is an excerpt from the _Oh, Ranger_ book, which served as the plot bunny.

One of the most daring rescues in park history was made in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Two boys employed by the hotel at the Canyon undertook to reach the base of the lower falls on the north side. This slope is so steep that it is practically impossible to scale it, and the pair found themselves helpless at the bottom of the Canyon, nearly half a mile deep, with the raging river on one side of them and the precipitous cliff on the other. They were seen by some tourists who reported their plight to the rangers. One lad was able to climb to a point where he could reach a rope and be pulled to safety. The other boy fell thirty feet while scaling the wall, cut a deep gash in his hip and suffered many abrasions of the body. He lay in the heavy cold mist from the falls, exhausted and chilled, unable to reach the ropes thrown to him. Ranger Ross finally lowered Ranger Kell, his assistant in summer and a Yale varsity football star in the fall, and Remus Allen, a hotel employee, down into the Canyon at a point below the falls. They worked their way up the gorge, sometimes wading through the roaring river. They finally reached the wounded boy, rendered first aid, and dragged him perilously across loose rock and shale to within 50 feet of the top of the Canyon, where they could reach a rope lowered by Ross and his assistants. It took four hours for them to make the rescue, once they were lowered into the Canyon, and all of that time they were in danger of slipping into the plunging river below, in which case their lives would virtually have been thrown away

This is obviously a work of fiction so I use historical facts and individuals when they fit into the story. Timelines are altered. The U. S. Army administered the park for 32 years, which I have eliminated as it doesn't fit my purposes. However, I am using Camp Yellowstone and it's buildings as the model for the Yellowstone Park Headquarters in the story. There is a virtual tour at .gov/features/yell/tours/FortYellowstone/.

From the above website: For the decade after Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872, the park was under serious threat from those who would exploit, rather than protect, its resources. Poachers killed animals. Souvenir hunters broke large pieces off the geysers and hot springs. Developers set up camps for tourists near hot springs, along with bath and laundry facilities in the hot springs. In response, civilian superintendents were hired to preserve and protect this land. Their experience and intentions varied, and they were all under-funded and under-staffed. Word got back to Congress that the park was in trouble, but legislators refused to appropriate any funds for the park's administration in 1886.

Yellowstone National Park turned to the U.S. Army for help. In 1886, men from Company M, First United States Cavalry, Fort Custer, Montana Territory came to Yellowstone under the command of Captain Moses Harris. They began what would be 32 years of military presence in the park. Most of the buildings constructed during the Army era are still standing and used by the National Park Service as park headquarters. Many of the interiors have been modernized, while the exteriors have been maintained and/or restored. The map shows how the fort buildings were used in 1916, just before the National Park Service was established and took over the park's administration.

Unfortunately doesn't allow pictures to be posted as part of the stories or if it does I do not how to do it.

Buildings that I envisioned using from the virtual tour

Superintendent's residence

Heyes and Curry's Quarters (Captains Quarters) - Housing for two married officers, two apartments—each with kitchen, living room, dining room, six bedrooms, two baths, pantry, and laundry. Still used as residences.

Rangers Quarters (Duplex Officers Quarters)

Visitor's Center

Reference Pictures from the Oh, Ranger book

Testing Mountain Rescue Procedures at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and Falls A Ranger "Line cabin".

"Tally Ho" stagecoach for visitors at Yellowstone

Grand Canyon Hotel, Yellowstone circa 1891.

Modern day pictures of the area can be found using Google Images

Lower Yellowstone Falls

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone


End file.
